Join us on Wednesday, March 18th at 7 PM Eastern Time for Junk Journaling with artist Leslie Hidalgo.
In this workshop with veteran and artist Leslie Hidalgo, participants will learn how to creatively repurpose your “junk” and transform a journal into a personalized collection of magical memories, reframing the intention of mundane materials into meaningful art.
Suggested Supplies:
- Journal (any size)
- Adhesive: Tape, Glue
- Materials: Scraps of paper, fabric, photos, stickers, any ephemera you may have.
- Writing Tool: Markers, Paint Pens, Colored Pencils, Pens, Pencils
Leslie Hidalgo is a multidisciplinary artist whose work evokes beauty from afar, only to reveal layered, often unsettling narratives upon closer inspection. Her practice explores the intersections of physical disability, military service, and mental health, using materials such as ceramics, crepe paper, and fabric to convey themes of resilience and transformation. Botanical motifs intertwine with clinical and anatomical imagery, creating a visual tension between the natural and the medical. Her soft color palette—pastel pinks, blues, and yellows—creates a sense of joy that, when paired with darker themes, underscores the emotional complexity of trauma and resilience. Hidalgo’s creative practice allows her to process deeply personal experiences, many of which remain unspoken, and to find healing through creation. Art is her therapy, her resistance, and her peace. Find Leslie on Instagram & Tiktok.
About Mission Belonging Visual Arts Workshops
Join Veteran Artists Valerie Acosta-Gonzalez & Joe Merritt, along with special guests to learn new art techniques on Wednesdays at 7 PM ET. Come hang out in a collaborative group setting and bring what materials you have. No experience necessary!
This program is funded in part by Creative Forces®: NEA Military Healing Arts Network, an initiative of the National Endowment in partnership with the U.S. Departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs. Creative Forces Community Engagement Grant program is managed by Mid-America Arts Alliance.
This program is made possible in part through the Regional Arts Discretionary Fund of Mid Atlantic Arts with support from the Wallace Foundation.
